Knockdown couch.



1. B. EMERSON.

` KNOOKDOWN GOUGH. APPLICATION IILBD DEU. 1B, 191.0. 995,234, 1 PatentedJune 13,1911.

2 SHEETS-"SHEET 1.

l' /NvENroR Isaac EI. Emerson w manners WITNESSES I. E. EMERSON.

KNOKDOWN GOUGH. APLIoATIox funn Dnc. 1e. 1910.V

Pat-@med Jung 13, r1911.

2 Bans-Bann n.

H5N1-'0R Isaac E. Emeram TTURNEYS UNITED 'STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ISAAC E. EMERSON, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

l KNocKnowN CoUo'H.

Specification of Letters Patent.l

Patented June 13, 1911.

Application led Decemberil, 1910. Serial No. 597,597.

To `all whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I, ISAAC E. EMERSON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland,

have invented whew and Improved Knock-V down Couch, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

i Among the principal objects which' the present invention has in view? are To provide portions of the adjacent chair structures which may be removed from their normal osition .to be fitted between the adjacent c airs, locking the same in fixed position and forming, in conjunction with the seats thereof, a bed mattress; to provide chairs with complementary auxiliary sections Vwhich may be removed from the nor- -mal position to form, in conjunction with other chairs and like complementary sec-v tions thereof, a reclining structure.

lVith these objects imview, the invention consists informing chairs having elongated upholstered seat sections, and removable upholstered back sections, the combined length of two of said seat sections and one of said back sections being equal to the required length for a bed structure.

It consists further in constructing swivel chairs, such as employed in Pullman parlor cars, separated so that when' turned toward each other, the. total length from rear of back to rear of back is equal to the desired length of the bed structure.

It further consists in arranging the backs of seats ofthe character above mentioned to provide an upholstered back portion, being forwardly disposed to limit the seating portion of the seat to accommodate the sitting y posture of the user.

It further consists in `providing for chairs of the character described removable arm sections, which, when the said chairs are converted to use as a bed, may be stowed below the bed.

One embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, whereini Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section, showing fixed swivel chairsv of the character used in railway chair cars, as converted to use as a bed; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line 2-2 in Fig. l, showing, in plan, the arrangement when the chairs are converted to the bed structure; Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3-3 in Fig. 4, showing the chair as disposed for seating purposes; Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line 4 4 in Fig. 3, showing, inplan, the structural arrangement of the4 chair, when so used. A portion of the seat in this figure is cut away to show the bracket irons with which the chairs are provided for resting the edge of the back sections lwhen employed to form a bed mattress ;l Fig. 5 is avertical section taken on the line 5--5 n Fig. 6, showing the construction of-,one of the side arms of the chair; Fig. 6' is-a detail view, in plan, of one of the side arms; and Flg. 7 1s a detail view, 1n plan, or the remov able back section of the chairs.

As shown in the accompanying drawings, the invention is applied to the class of chairs known as parlor chairs, as constructed and used in railway passenger cars. It willbe understood, however, that chairs may be constructed 1n any suitable manner', swivelcd or not, and stationary or portable. `Under all4 conditions of usage, the structure remains practically the same, and the peculiarities of lthis structure consist substantially as 'shown in the present Tdrawings.

The seat frame 12 is constructed in any approved and usual manner. As shown -in the accompanying drawings, it is tixedly mounted upon a swivel Yhead 13. The swivel head 13 is guidedly and rotatably mounted upon a pedestal 14:, a friction-reducing bear- 'ing 15 formedof interposed devicesbeing interposed between the head and pedestal.

The frame 12 is usually constructed of a length greater than that provided for ordinary chairs.l 4Fixedly or removably mounted on the frames 12 are cushions 1b.` Thev cushions 16 extend from theforward edge of the chair to the thin vertical back 17. The back 17 is constructed from any suitable material. It is relatively thi-nand is preferably bowed .to-form the rounded backsection, shown best in Fig. 2 of' the drawings. The back and seat sections are framed rigidly in position by the corner posts 18, 18.

-The corner posts. 18, 1S are connected at the- -'top by the head frame 19. The frame 19 is' angular 1n cross section', as shown'best in Fig. 1 of the drawings, and the corner posts.

18, 18 are each provided with an an ular recess 20, as shown be in Fig. 2 of t e drawings. Within the nner angle of the head frame 19 is pcm-. .iently secured the head rest cushic.. Within the inner` an4 le of the recfsses 20 are disposed the fixe side back` cushions. 22,122.

Projected from the forward face of the corner posts 18 are socket brackets 23, provided to receive the dove-tailed tenons 24, 24. The tenons 24, 24 are formed at the ends of plates 25, 25 which are fixedly attached to the body 26 of each of the arms 27. The arms 27, 2T are provided with posts 28, the lower ends 29 whereof are adapted for insertion in the recesses formed in each of the sockets 30, 30. To limit the. insertion of the end 29, theposts are each' provided With a stop 31.

By reason of the construction just above described, .the side varms of `the complete chair may be inserted in operative position in a manner muc-h resembling the attachnient ot' the ordinary side rail of a bed frame, the tenons 24 entering the sockets 23 from above, and the ends 2f) entering the recesses in the sockets 30. In this position the arms are rigidly' held when the chair is employed as a seat, as best shown in Figs. 3 and 'i 4 of the drawings. The sockets 30,30 also serve to receive, in supportingrelation, the lugs 32, 32, which are depended from the removable-back cushions'33. The cushions 33, when thus united 'to opposite and adjacent chairs by the lugs 32` fitting withinI the sockets 430, are further supported by the sliding brackets 34, 34, which'brackets are, as shown best in I1`ig..4 of the drawings, dis# posed near the median line bisecting the front of the seat 0f the'chair. In this man# ner both edges of the cushion section 33. are

supported. The` thicknessofv the sections 33, 33 is such that when the said sections are v installed 'as shownin Figs.` 1 and 2, the level thereof.

'50 I'lhe back'cushions 33, 33, when disposed.

of the upper' surface Vofthe assembled seat and back cushions is uniform.

The brackets 34,34 are slidably mounted on the scat frames 12. Depended from the under side of each bracket is a handle portion 35. Y' The handle portion 35V is extended -through a slot opening 36 in the seat frame,

whereby the forward and rearward extensions of the bracket-s are limited, permitting a. projection beyond the seat frame, and a retraction inwardly beyond the forward edge as the back of the chair, are held in proper disposition bv the rails 37, 37.. v-The rails 37, 37.l are inclined, substantiallyiis shown in Fig.;3 of the drawings, thereby holding the cushions 33`bctween the seat cushion 16 and the lower side of the vhea-d frame 19, Without further locking devices. l-Vhen the cushions 33 are thus disposed, the lugs 3-2 pass between the rails 37 without interference with the chair struct-ure.

fWith. a chairthusconstruetedjand ar- `verted in to a bed, is as follows: The-arms ranged, the operation, when the' same is con'- l27, 27 are removed from adjacent chairs -by lifting the same vertically therefrom. [The si e.

arms are then disposed of in any suitable and'convenie'nt manner, preferably by placing same'beneath the seat fraii'ies of the cha-ir. The adjacent chairs are turned on the pedestals 14,' so that their front edges are oppositely disposed. The cushion sections 33, 33 are then liftedfrom their position in the back frame of the chairs and are mounted between the front edges "of the chairs, the lugsl 32, 32 of each cushion extending within the sockets 30, 30 of the opthe` chairs by the operator, engaging for that purpose the. handles 35, In this .position of the cushions, the bed is arranged substantially as shown in Figs. '1. and 2 of the drawings, when it will be found that the .distance between the back 17 of the one chair and the back 1T of the other chair is equal to the length of the standard bed. or Pullman bunk.

Aposite chairs, and the edge of'- the'cushions v33, 33 are rested vupon the brackets 34, 34, `these being projected beyond the edges of With bed clothing novided, the couch -or` bed is now preparer for occupancy. l

Chairs constructed substantially as above described, portable or stationary, may be thus adapted for use in an ordinary Pullman car, as above set.- forth, or in steam boats,"o'r

in sample or4 other public rooms of hotels,

thus providing for an eiieigen'cy of overcrowding so frequent in vehicles or hostelries of thc kind mentioned.

It should be further mentioned in conjunetion with this disclosure that in the ordinar Pullman cars the chairs of the character described' will replace the usual fixed bench seats. In these cars the so-callcd upper berth `w`il1 be retained and will be utilized to carry 'the 'thin mattress and bed clothing for the couch formed by the adjacent chairs. At night the upper berth will be lowered as inthe present employment, resting over or upon the tops of the chairs when arranged as a couch. .Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and dcslre to secure -by Let;

ters Patent is 1.. A knock-down couch embodying 'ai-2iswivel chair, comprising a fixed back s tr'uc-v ture having a cushion pocket formedtherein; an elongated seat frameya cushion for. said seat frame a back cusl'iion-adapted to rest in andbepheldby'said y ocket 1n said-- back structure, :said-beeldA ff/ion havinga rigid supporting frame". d 1g/et brackets mounted on said seat- 4 frar' at" the forward.

edge thereof;l and holding. lugs ri idly mounted on vsaid back cushioniiame a apt-l ed forfinseiton within lsaidsockets-to hold the cuslion'j; amein position horizontally 'Xtended from vthe frontfedge'of said seat rame.

2. .Infa knock-down coucheinbodyingla swivel chair` having aff rigid seatframe,.. a back structure comprising side. posts rigidly 'tion adapted for disp secured in vertical osition upon said seat frame and arrange to form between said posts a longitudinally extended recess; u curved back frame for closing said recess; a removable upholstered back cushion secosal in said recess; und

guide rails disposed 1n said recess to support said back cushion section.

3. In a knock-down couch embodying a swivel chair having a rigid seat frame, a back structure comprising side posts rigidly secured in vertical osition upon said seatframe and arranged) to form between said osts a longitudinally extended recess, and

aving at 4the exposed inner corner thereof protective cushlons; a curved back frame for closin said recess; a removable upholstered bac cushion section adapted for disosal in said recess; and guide rails disposed 1n said recess to support said back cushionl section.

4. In a knock-down couch embodying a `swivel chair having a seat frame, a

.back structure comprising side posts back structure comprising side posts rigidly securedin verticaliositlon upon saidl seat frame and arrange to form between said posts a longitudinally extended recess, andv aving at t e exposed inner corners thereof protective cushions; a curved back frame for closing said recess; a removable upholstered backcushion section adapted forl disposal in said recess; and a plurality of guide rails mounted in said recess to hold the said back cushion section within said recess and in inclined position therein. l

5.-In a knock-down couch embodying a swivel chair having a'rigid seat frame, a 'rigidly ositlon upon said seat to form between said secured in vertical frame and arrang disposed in said recess to, support .cushion section.

osts a longitudinally extended recess; a

ead cushion section-rigidly secured to and extended between said side posts to form a frame. for closing said recess; a removable upholstered back cushion section adaptedv for disposal in said recess; and guide rails said back 6. A .knock-down couch, comprising a plurality of permanently stationed swivel chairs each having elongated upholstered seat frames; a removable upholstered back frame section for each chair, said sections being equal to one-half the space between -the front edges of said chairs when' same are faced toward each other; and fastening means rovided on said chairs for holding the said) back sections in'locked position between said chairs. 4

7. A knock-down couch, comprising a plurality of permanently stationed `swlvel chairs each having elongated upholstered seat frames; a removable u holstered back frame section for each chalr, said sections being equal to onehalf the space between lthe front edges of said chairs when same e are faced toward each other; and fastening means provided on said chairs for hold- 4 ing-the sai back sections in locked position between said chairs, said chairs being provided with removable side arm structures.

yIn testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

Isaac E.V EMERSON.

Witnesses:

E. F. lt'lnnnot'm,4 .Pmnrr D. Romanos.

-head cushion for said seat; a curved back i 

